1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an article unloading system, and in particular to such an apparatus which is adapted for mounting on an article rack in a trailer or truck bed chassis, and more specifically to such an unloading system which is adapted to allow pickup truck covers to be conveniently unloaded from upper positions in racks within the trailer or truck bed chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Article racks are used in a wide variety of applications, and are often designed to receive particular types of articles in particular environments. The physical characteristics, i.e., size, shape, weight, etc., of the articles to be stored or transported are often factors in designing a suitable rack. Other factors can include loading and unloading considerations, protection from the elements and space limitations for the rack itself.
Article racks are often associated with vehicles and consequently involve special design considerations to accommodate vehicle movement. For example, the Day U.S. Pat. No. 1,438,813 and the Prickett et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,328 disclose truck bodies with shelves for receiving cases of bottled goods. The shelves slope inwardly and downwardly to retain the cases of goods in place against centrifugal forces which may be encountered when the vehicles turn and maneuver. A trailer vehicle with a similar construction is shown in the Robinson U.S. Pat. No. 2,061,673.
Pickup truck covers are a popular accessory or option for enclosing the beds of pickup trucks on which they are mounted. By thus enclosing the bed with a pickup truck cover, security and protection are provided for tools, materials and various other objects placed in the enclosed pickup truck bed. Pickup truck beds enclosed by covers can also be used as sheltered sleeping quarters.
Pickup truck covers can be fabricated from various materials, including fiberglass, fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), and sheet metal. Pickup truck covers are generally manufactured at manufacturing facilities and then transported to dealers for retail sale. Pickup truck cover transport vehicles are sometimes utilized which include racks for receiving the pickup truck covers in orientations which are transverse to the direction of vehicle travel. The covers are generally loaded and unloaded from the vehicle sides, and the racks can be divided into multiple, transversely-extending bays, which each bay being adapted to receive multiple covers in vertically-stacked, cover-receiving spaces. To further increase the number of covers that can be transported in a load, smaller covers can be nested within larger one.
Many previous cover transports are designed for the covers to lay flat and extend transversely from side-to-side. However, relatively long covers oriented in this manner can exceed the load width restrictions applicable on many public roads and highways. Operators of vehicles with over-width loads can be subject to citations and fines by law enforcement officials.
Furthermore, difficulties have been encountered in providing an enclosure for a cover transport, because the enclosure structure further increases the cover transport width, which can result in a vehicle which is illegal to operate on many public roads and highways. However, there are important advantages to enclosing a cover transport. For example, covers transported in enclosed vehicles can be kept cleaner for better appearances when displayed by a dealer, whereby a substantial amount of dealer preparation may be obviated. A transport enclosure can also protect the covers therein from damage from hail, rocks and other falling and flying objects. Degradation of the finish on the covers can also be avoided by shading the covers from direct sunlight. A measure of security and theft protection can be provided by enclosing the cover transports.
An additional problem which occurs in the transportation of pickup truck covers is the loading, and, in particular, the unloading of such covers from the topmost positions in the cover transports. Presently, in order to off-load the covers occupying the topmost slots in a transport rack, either the receiving dealer must use a forklift truck or provide three or more men who climb up the trailer and manhandle the cover off of the rack. Forklifts are expensive to purchase and maintain and thus represent a luxury which most small dealers cannot afford. However, when the pickup truck covers are physically manhandled, it is common for them to be accidentally dropped off of the transport or banged into other covers with consequent damage or destruction to the affected covers. The problem is magnified in instances where the covers are transported in closed trailers since access to the enclosed covers is limited. Individual pickup truck covers can cost as much as $2000 and it is estimated that the mishandling of pickup truck covers, particularly during unloading, costs the industry millions of dollars per year.
The article rack of the present invention addresses these problems with previous cover transports and similar problems that may exist with other article racks. The unloading system of the present invention allows pickup truck covers to be conveniently and safely unloaded by two men from even the topmost rack positions.